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Description

This satin black 1931 Ford Tudor sedan is one of those rods that just keeps getting better the more you look at it. A little too polished to be a full-blown rat rod, yet with plenty of old-school charm to make it feel like those back-to-basics rods, it sits neatly in the middle and delivers a genuine hot rodding experience, all at a shockingly reasonable price.

Sedans are becoming increasingly popular as hot rods, probably because they're affordable and practical. If you've tried to squeeze yourself into a roadster or coupe, you're going to appreciate the stretch-out space in this Tudor. The boxy, upright Model A shape is easy to spot and aside from the missing hood and fenders, it's survived the conversion pretty much intact. No chopped top, no shaved door handles, and an honest look that takes us back to the '50s. The satin black finish is bulletproof (well, not literally) and low maintenance, yet looks great and shows off the Model A's reveal moldings to good effect. The Tudor also works rather well without its fenders, and even a box like this can look sleek. The stock stainless steel radiator shell is flanked by a pair of low-mounted headlights that give it a friendly face, and seeing the engine out there in the open is always cool. Out back, you get a set of LED taillights that have customizable patterns, a bit of 21st century tech that actually looks right.

As I said, the Tudor sedan offers plenty of room for two thanks to a pair of bucket seats up front and a back seat that's been removed and turned into a carpeted storage area. The rat rod vibe is strong here, with Harley Davidson seat covers on the bucket seats, diamond-plate mats on the floor, and the battery strapped in place behind the passenger's seat. On the other hand, you get a fat steering wheel, a full set of gauges in the center of the dash, and a monster tach up high where it's easy to see. A few whimsical touches from the junkyard make it special, including the household glass door knobs on the doors, the exposed metal trim, and an 8-ball as the knob on the B&M shifter. With the relocated seats, it's easy to get comfortable behind the wheel and if you want to go on a road trip in your rod, this one will handle all your gear without any fuss, and you don't need one of those trailers to do it.

There's a good chunk of money invested in the sparkling 350 cubic inch Chevy V8 up front and it runs great. Nothing revolutionary here, but the bright chrome bits and reliable hardware are the foundation of this build. There's a shiny Summit Racing 4-barrel carburetor, an aluminum intake manifold, and proper Chevy Orange paint that's a great contrast to the satin black paint. A velocity stack up top has a suitable hot rod look and the chrome headers tuck in close to the block so they don't get in the way of the front suspension hairpins. A heavy-duty TH400 3-speed automatic transmission snaps off rapid-fire shifts while feeding a Ford 9-inch rear hanging on a brand new set of ladder bars and coil-overs. The exhaust system is tucked up tight to the frame to maximize ground clearance and it sounds raucous. Shiny Torque Thrust wheels have a modern twist on the big-n-little setup, wearing 235/45/17 front and 295/45/18 rear performance radials.

A neat car with a lot of first-rate parts, a great-running engine, and a traditional look, this Ford is a great way to have fun on a budget. Call today!